I really don't believe them, and in fact they have expressly said they need to deceive the public in order to do their job more effectively.

It's insane, and there's a tonne of evidence that they restrict and sanitize information - a lot later disproven.

For example: 5000+ soldiers are AWOL. Do they count?

I've spoken to soldiers and heard them: they estimate it's about 50/50 for and against, and this with dissent is heavily discouraged in the rigid hierarchy to preserve morale. Soldiers who are against the war have to be secretive about it, and as for the army, frankly I wouldn't be surprised if they did anything to get that insane number. Or nothing. Whatever, it's a brilliant piece of propaganda to use both at home and on the soldiers in the field themselves. .

Fact facts: you're playing into stats that are a sick joke, and coming from people who every time some scandal pops-up say "well we didn't find any evidence" of a Koran flushed down a toilet; all I gotta say is they "didn't find any evidence" they were torturing people either until pictures is was widely available to the public - and they haven't stopped since.

The character of people telling you this is highly suspect: you really think 80% of soldiers want to be there with no "noble cause" accepted by anyone but the staunchest Bush supporters?

If it's so damned noble how come no one else in the world agrees?

Make no mistake: this war is a hell of a lot uglier than you think, they're doing a great propaganda job in getting people to argue for it. .